Major League Baseball

Royals' Chen tough as KC tops White Sox 4-1

Published Jul. 6, 2011 10:10 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Bruce Chen pitched effectively into the seventh inning and Eric Hosmer hit a home run as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 4-1 on Wednesday.

Chen (5-2) allowed four hits and a run and departed after walking A.J. Pierzynski to start the bottom of the seventh. He retired the first nine batters before Juan Pierre singled leading off the bottom of the fourth and escaped a bases loaded, no-out jam in the sixth with just one run scoring.

The lefty mixed speeds, delivery angles and kept the White Sox - who've struggled all season with offensive consistency - off balance. Greg Holland pitched two shutout innings and Joakim Soria the ninth for his 15th save in 20 chances.

The Royals scored in the first off Edwin Jackson (5-7) as Chris Getz walked, stole second, held at third on Melky Cabrera's single and scored when Alex Gordon grounded into a double play. Hosmer hit his eighth homer leading off the second on a ball that just went over the glove of Chicago center fielder Alex Rios at the wall.

Jeff Francoeur delivered a two-out RBI single in the fourth after Gordon led off with a single and advanced on a grounder, making it 3-0. Francouer hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth after singles by Gordon and Hosmer and a Jackson wild pitch, extending the Royals' lead to 4-0.

Jackson allowed eight hits and the four runs in seven innings.

After Pierre singled in the fourth and after Adam Dunn walked, he stole second. But Paul Konerko grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The White Sox put together a rally in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs on singles by Rios and Gordon Beckham and a bunt single by Pierre on a close play a first. Dunn drew a one-out walk to force in a run. But Chen slipped a third strike past Konerko - who hopes to make the All-Star team via interactive voting - and got Carlos Quentin - already on the AL team - to pop out to end the threat.

Chen finally got his first win against the White Sox in 11 career appearances. He is now 1-3 in those outings, including six starts.

Notes: White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was asked before the game why he was starting Dunn against the veteran lefty Chen. Dunn entered the game 2-for-56 against southpaws this season. ''Have you see Bruce Chen pitch?'' Guillen asked of his former teammate with the Atlanta Braves. ''I might get an at-bat. And Bruce Chen is my boy. I knew him with Atlanta. I love this kid. ...I hope we have a good chance with him. I think Bruce had troubles against lefties in the past because he takes the changeup away from them, but I think I'm going to give (Dunn) a shot to compete.'' Lefties were batting 68 points higher this season against Chen than righties entering the game. ... Chen threw 104 pitches, 66 of them for strikes. He walked three and struck out four.

.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball